Charles g



(No Model.)

G. G. WHEELER.

UAR UDUPLING- No. 427,023. Patented Apr. 29,1890.

UNITED STATES ATENT union,

CHARLES G. IVI-IEELER, OF IONIA, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TC IVILLIAM H. AULT AND SHELDON E. HILL, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,023, dated April 29, 1890.

Application filed February 8, 1890. Serial No. 839,669. (No model.)

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. \VHEELER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Ionia, in the county of Jewell and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. My invention relates to car-couplings; and 1t consists in the improved construction hereinafter described and set forth, whereby a simple and efficient car-coupling is provided whereby cars may be readily coupled and uncoupled, and when necessary the coupler arranged to prevent the engagement of the link therewith. I

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a draw-head and link embodying my improvements, the operating devices being disposed to permit the entrance of the head of the link into the draw-head to effect its automatic engagement; and Fig. 2 is a side View showing the operating devices so adjusted that the entrance and engagement of the link into the drawhead is prevented.

The main body of the device forms thelower portion Aof the draw-head, recessed to form the lower part of the coupling-chamber, the rear part being elevated to present the cars a a, between which the tongue Z) of the upper section B of the draw-head is pivoted.

Depending from the under side of the section B is a block C, located in the couplingchamber and provided with a forwardly-extending horizontal portion 0, inclined as shown in Fig. l. The front faces of the sections A B adjacent to the mouth of the couplingchamber are recessed to guide and direct the head of the coupling-link I) therein. The

link D consists of a horizontal bar, the ends of WlllCll are enlarged to form the inner shoulders (l, and are rounded on their sides and bottom to form the pointed barb.

Brackets e f are secured, respectively, upon the upper side of the draw-head and vertical side of the car, and in said brackets are pivotally mounted the ends of brace E, composed of two sections joined together by a rule-joint, to enable the sections of the brace to occupy either of the positions represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

Loops g g are located on the side of the car and form bearings for a transverse shaft F, the central portion of which is bent to form a crank h, pivotally connected with the upper section of the brace by means of a rod 2', the lower end of which is bifurcated to pivotally embrace said section and be pivotally attached thereto. Hooks jj are located near each end of the shaft, and are adapted to be engaged by a loop carried by a chain 70, to engage said hook and retain the shaft in a partially-turned position, the ends of the shaft being bent to furnishhandles for its rotation.

In operation, when the upper section of the draw-head is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the end of the draw-head may enter the coupling-chamber by slightly raising the upper section till the shoulder (1 drops behind the front lip of the lower section, so that the parts are engaged. The upper section and brace are maintained in the position alluded to by reason of the fact that the shaft is turned so that the chain-loops can. engage the hooks and thereby hold the sections'of the brace so that the rule-joint cannot operate to render the brace rigid. By further turning the handle the upper section can be elevated, and with it the block and its inclined portion, the latter bearing beneath the head of the link so as to raise it from engagement with the front lip of the lower section and permit its Withdrawal from the draw-head. \Vhen the shaft is disengaged from the chains, the sections move on a line with each other, so that they present through the knuckle-joint a rigid brace and thereby prevent the movement of the upper section and the entrance of the link-head when desired, as in yard movement and the like. If desirable, the upper section may be perforated to enable the employment of a vertical pin when an open link is necessary.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination, in a car-coupling, of a lower section and an upper section pivotally connected thereto, one of said sections being provided with a front engaging-lip, and a brace connected to the side of the car andto one of said sections and composed of two members connected by a rule-joint, together with means for breaking said rule-joint and for raising the upper section, substantially as Set forth.

2. The combination of lower section A and upper section B pivoted thereto, a brace com- SHELDON E. HILL, WVILLIAM H. LooMIs. 

